Pentagon brass hedges on Iran capabilities

1/8/12 10:52 AM EST

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey says he wants Iran to "believe" the U.S. had the capability to destroy their fledgling nuclear program — but declined to answer specifically whether the U.S. military possessed that capability.

"Could we, if we had to, without using nuclear weapons ourselves, take out their nuclear capability?" CBS host Bob Schieffer asked in an interview aired Sunday on "Face the Nation."

"Well, I certainly want them to believe that that's the case," said Dempsey.

"Well, is it?" asked Schieffer.

"I absolutely want them to believe that that's the case," said Dempsey.